Method of making rail brackets



Sept. 13, 1932. A. A. HOCHER 7 METHOD OF MAKING RAIL BRACKETS Filed May 9, 1929 1 33 INVENTOR.

M4. M1 BY 5W a 791/; W

M A TTORNEYS.

' i n 'A ueatit filed ma 9,1929. Serial N6. 361,627. 1

l atented Sept. 13, 1932 PATENT 3 ANnRnwAlnocnnR, or ETN'A, PENNQSUYTLVZAIIIQIA, AssIe oR To l-lU BBARD & commN v A GORPORATIONOF PENNSYLVANIA u '1] r a j a METHOD or MAK i i l fi i "lhislinvention relates to means for sup-- porting a third rail and more particularly tolaimethod of making the same.'

"Ithas been the general practice' 'heretoforeto' 'form'third rail supports from a sheet of metal in such amanner thatthe various portions of the support are combined in a umt; This practice ISUIIClQSH'ZJblQ in View of certain portions of the support requiring i more metal than other portions and in formthird rail supports wherein certain portions of the support are formed separately from several portions welded 2 vide a methodof making a third rail sup-1 port thatshall reduce thecost of the finished 25 Other objects liesin the novel method and combination of parts as willfllbe made ape? parent throughou'tthe further description of:

Y ly extending annularedge portion. The

opening 18 is' provided withaniupwardlyprojecting annular flange 19. The diametering the supper-tin a unit from a piece of sheet metala great amount of the material is wast-3 ed and it is an object of this invention to provide an improved method of making sheet metal and the together; p

Another object of this invention is to proproduct and such product shall be adaptable for use wherever such a support maybe desired:

the invention. 1

For the purpose of illustrationfl have shown a thirdrail support, wherein, Figure l is an end view of the construction of'a third rail support embodying. ,the invention and Fig. 2 is a sideelevational view partly in m section of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated, the third rail support comprises a substantially circular supporting base 11 from one end of which extends a channel member 12, the upper end of the channel member 12 terminating in a 46 bracket member 13. The bracket membe 13 being adapted to support a protection board, not shown.

The center of the base 11 is provided with an inverted cup portion 14' which is adapted 3 to extend into an opening of an insulator,

not shown, the insulator being adapted to support a third rail in the usual manner. The base member 11 is provided around its edges with up-turned flanges or wings 15 for as cooperating with the sides of an insulator to maintain the same-in positioii'on'the base it willalso be noted that the member'illat one end thereof is bent in an upwardlycurved direction [and extends upwardly a short distance until straightened, in order that the lower edges ofthe downwardly ex tending channel portion 12 may be 'welded" tojthefu'pwardly extending edgesithereoffl The channel member-12 and the "angle? bracket 13 are both provided'with similar flanges or wings 16'projecting fromeach'side thereof, the wings 16 of the channel member 12 being adapted to register with 15 on the base-member 11.

The bracket member 13 may In carrying out the present method, the base 11,channel member 12 having thebrack the wings:

be formed with stepped grooves 17 or, in any desired manner for. cooperatingwith'bolts or nuts for connecting aprotection board thereto. e

et 13 thereonand the'inverted cup {14, are j:

ea'chl formed from separate pieces of: sheetf metal; The base member 11 is stampedufr'oma piece ofs-heet metal and is provided with the flanges or wings 15 andan opening 18 pressed or displacedupwardly in substam tially' the center thereof to form aniupward of the annular flange 19 being substantially.

the same as the diameter of thecup 14. After V the several pieces have been stamped to form the several mmbers, the channel member-12 is welded tothe base member at 21and the inverted cup 1 1 is weldedto-the annular flange 19 zit-22., It will be note'dthat'the side portion; :of the base membenli which; 7

maybe called theiront andwhicli isdirect-Y tween edges ofthe hole 18, and-which at opposite; ends adjacent the lwidth thereof 'is flanged or winged toincline upwardly to the height of the-continuous upturnedflangegon 'wing formed around the Qther'three-sides of thebase portion.

The provision of the annular flange 19 around the opening ,18 provides easy and ready means for welding the cup 14 to the base. Since the cup is not'welde'd to a solid flat base, but is welded to the annular flange, the radiation of the welding heatis retarded and a more efficient weld is obtained.

The base member 11 may be provided with any number of holes 23 for receiving spikes thorough study forthe determination of the size of -the pieces, theirshape, length, and

- ing a slotted flange forming an lnverted cu v parting fromthe I requirements ofan improved bracket, the specific process was only worked out after a finding of important factors andjust howto best maintain, control, and balance them.

For example, expense,the relative strength of each element both with a view to its individualaswell as its need when in combination with others, best utilization of scrap materials, the best: place and type of weld- "ing, both in view of requirements-as to strength, accessibility, heat dissipation, and simplicity, all entered into the problem. In addition, the process was worked out, for employment by simplified machinery; the

type of treatment were all c in my invention.

While I: have illustrated and described but onsi'dered as well one embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that certain changes in the method of making a third rail supportmay be employed without despirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure.

by Letters Patent is I 1. The method of fabricating support which includes stamping out a sheet metal piece and-forming a base-member havthereof, upwardly displacing the metal in the substantial center of said base member to form an upwardly extending annular flange, forming a fourth side of the base havshaped member and welding the edges of t e cup-shapedmember to the upwardly extending annular edges of said base member,

, forming a bracket member having a. downwardly extending channel member terminating in an edge portion, and welding the lower edge portion ofthe channel member to one end of the base member. 7 I

2. The method of fabricating a third rail,

ot'lag'screws" for attaching-the support to a' a third in I support which includes stamping out a base member, an inverted cup-shaped member and a bracket member from sheet metal, up wardly displacing the metal in the substantial center ofsaid base member, forming an upwardly extending flange around the outer edges of said base member and inclining them upwardly from the front of said base member to a given height and then at that given height around the remainder of said base member, forming an upwardly curved channel extension opposite the rear of said base member, welding the cup-shaped memandtwo opposite sides thereof, upwardly dis- 1 placing the metal in'the substantial center of said base member to form an upwardlyextending; annular flange, forming a front end on the base member having an open portion substantially centrally thereof whose widthcorresponds to thewidth of the displaced center flange, forming flanges upwardly inclining from opposite extremities ofsuch width of the front end, forming an inverted cup-shaped member, welding edges of the cup-shaped member to edges ofthe upwardly-extending annular-center flange of said base member, forming a bracket member having I a downwardlyextending channel member terminating in an edge portion, and weldingthe lower edge portion of the channel member to the back end of the base member; I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribedfmy name this 3rd day of May,

ANDREW A. HOC E ingan upturned flange around three sides 

